Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium 5k

I had a strange request for my 34th birthday.  I wanted my family to run/walk a 5k.  Everyone was game, even my sister-in-law who was 4 months pregnant and who would be pushing my 18 month old niece.  Whoo Hoo!! 

It seemed after lots of trash talking amongst certain family members, only my little brother and I would be running.  My little brother is by far the best runner in the family (he ran a marathon when he was 15, because he is nuts), but after dislocating his knee cap a few times over the past 10+ years his leg just doesn't handle the repetitive pounding that running provides.

My legs were trashed from the 17+ miles I had run after work on Thursday.  It had been such a nice evening when I had gotten home from work the scheduled 8 miles, somehow transformed into 17.  I thought maybe a 3 mile warm-up would help workout some of the stiffness, but all throughout the warm-up, I felt fatigued and tight.  I stretched and did a few dynamic exercises along with some striders -- nothing seemed to help. 

My brother and I started somewhere in the middle, which was still too far back.  We had to run around people and it took us a few seconds to just cross the starting line.  My brother's plan was to try and run with me (and then probably move in for the kill at the end) for as long as possible.  My plan was to run steady effort throughout and not fade, like last time. 

The course was not flat.  It was rolling, but shaded.  There were a lot more women in front of me than I had hoped.  I hoped some of them would start coming back to me as the miles wore on and to my delight a few did by the first mile.  I felt good and on cruise control.  Mile 1 was 7:20 and although I felt good, it was slower than the last race and knowing there were more rollers coming I had low expectations. 

Mile 2 seemed to take forever and I was able to get a few more girls, so I think I passed about 6 at this point.  I had lost my brother almost immediately and hoped he was just a few steps behind me.  I was breathing well, but my legs were dead.  I split 7:27.

At the start of the last mile, I had been focused on this brunette in a long sleeve white tee and black capris.  I had worked my way up to her over the last two miles.  She had faded pretty hard, but I had the feeling that if I passed her she would be one of those that will fight you to the end, even if she has to sprint, back-off, sprint and back-off -- you know the kind I'm talking about.  I don't usually strategize in a foot race.  I am too slow.  I just run my best to the finish, but for some reason with her, I felt if I passed her I would have to pick-it up and give her the impression that I had started off slow and was now just getting up to a pace that she shouldn't even bother trying to hang on to.

Apparently, I am a bad actress.  I opened my stride up and took off as I passed her.  I know I gapped her, I could feel it as I ran hard for about 200 meters.  I had also managed to close the gap on two women up ahead of me.  I tried to focus on catching them, but I had the feeling that the girl behind me was more of a threat than the two in front of me.  I surged again as I caught and passed each girl.  I was definitely beat at this point and with 500 meters to go I hit the last hill before the finish and then it happened.  The girl I had passed and suspected would be a threat at the finish passed me!   Crap!!  I picked up the pace and stayed with her to the 3rd mile marker and split 7:29. 

As always, when you hit that 3 mile marker in a race the last .1 feels infinitely longer than when you run it in a warm-up.  I was gassed.  She picked it up and started pulling away.  I half-ass tried, but my body and my heart had nothing.  I couldn't get my legs moving faster than a 6:55/mile pace.  I hit the line in 23:13 (garmin).  I  don't know the official results, the website is "under construction." 

My garmin said 3.14 and avg pace was 7:25/mile, which was about the same as the last 5k.  Uuugghhh!!  I am so not progressing as fast as I would like to. 

My little brother finished in 24:37 (7:55/mile).  He said could see me up until the last mile and then I "took off."  We laughed about that, because he admittedly faded pretty hard that last mile and ran 8:45. 

My parents finished holding hands (my dad was listed first in the results, so of course he razzed my mom, who will probably never finish a race with him again, haha!).  My preggo sister finished by running into the finish and my niece started screaming bloody murder at the 2 mile marker so my brother had to pick her up (she gets a DNF!!). 

Here is the video to the finish.  I think I am somewhere afte 7 mins and my brother is about 8:30 - 9:00 minutes in. 

Gwen Autumn

Well the week started off pretty lame with me bombing my test and the weather just sucking so much I wanted to scream!!

But then it all turned around.

I received a voicemail around 9:00am from my dad, that someone had just gone to the hospital.  I groaned wondering what my dad had possibly done to hurt himself this time!  He is always "injured."  The message ended with him stating someone's water had broken.  What?!  That made no sense.  Dad isn't pregnant nor does he have water to break.  Oh my God!  My niece was on her way!!  Holy Sh*t!!! 

I immediately hung up and called my brother.  He told me everybody was okay.  The contractions were continuing and getting worse, but nothing yet. 

I called into work to get my shift picked up, so I could go see my niece when she finally showed up.  I knew she would be coming soon because SH's water had broken and when that happens there is no turning back due to the risk for infeciton. 

I had been sitting and studying for hours, while my father had come home with my brother's evil rodents (Focker and Bella - a pug and a puggle).  I finally, decided enough was enough and I headed out for a run around 4:30pm.  Wouldn't you know it, after about an hour of running I returned home to see I had another voicemail. 

It was my brother!  My niece made it safe and sound at 4:51pm.  She was 7lbs. 7oz and 21.5 inches.  I jumped in the shower and cautiously, rushed up to the hospital in the blizzard-like weather we were having to see her. 

She was asleep when my brother brought her in.  She unfortunately looks a lot like my bother (joking!!).  She has his chin and his scowl, but she does have SH's nose.  I can only hope she will have my athletic abilities (hahaha).  I did my whole nursing assessment, checking her vitals, her fontanels, mucosa and some of her reflexes.  She even pased her meconium while I was there.  I never thought I would be so excited to know my niece had pooped herself.

As I drove home around midnight that night, I forgot all about the weather and my test.  I was in awe of my niece.  She is just so so neat and I can't wait to get to know her. 

How 'bout that for an uplifting ender to the week!!!

Happy Christmas Mikey

The walrus, me, GI Mikey, and his Chicken
GI Mikey's Mom & GI Mikey


GI Mikey's Dad and GI Mikey with victory billiard shots of none other than Black Haus (eeeewww)!!

This by far has got to be one of the best Christmas's. My little brother who most of you know is in the military and has been stationed in Mississippi for the last 3 months and will soon be leaving for a year in Afghanastan came home for a little over a week to celebrate the holidays with us. It was the greatest gift.

He arrived last Monday evening and we only thought he was staying until Thursday evening and then heading back, but a phone call on Wednesday afternoon from the army had delayed his leave time until today (a week later), YAY!!

It was a stupendous week. Tuesday, the walrus and I headed to mom and dad's with our gifts to celebrate Christmas early for my brother. It was crazy. I hadn't seen that many presents under the tree in years. I myself, got a mini-fridge, a coffee table, an entertainment stand and this totally rockin' dog tag with a pic of me and the brother just to name a few. There were gift certificates, fishing equipment and cooking supplies exchange also. Personally, I thought the walrus and I had done a pretty good job on my little brother. We had gotten him a new Nintendo DS and the 2 games to take with him to Afghany. He loved it, heck so did his wife (we found out she was playing it the next day while he was napping the next day). Mom also managed to whip up a huge and delicious ham, mash potatoes, green bean casserole and 3 or 4 other concotions for a family dinner. I didn't really get much down due to a terrible stomach virus that had been plaguing me since early Sunday morning and would continue to bother me for another week.

After, the walrus and I packed up a ton of presents we had received and made a quick trip back to my house to drop off the gifts before heading back to a local hangout to meet the family for more partying and of course, karaeokee. My brother managed to sing a few songs, whip everyone's ass in pool with my dad's help and drink the bar completely out of Jaegermeister. I am so proud of him. I had too stick to some ginerale which was just as well since somebody had to drive.

I finally visited the doc's on Friday to find out I was going to need a few more days of rest and no work (darn...haha). I chose to stay at my parents though just in case my brother ever stopped by again. He did on Friday for a few hours with his wife. The night was a short one though as he too had gone to the doctor and had a terrible cold and needed a little down time.

I began to feel better by Saturday and was able to return to work on Sunday barring a stomach that just wasn't ready for heavy drinking or Mexican, neither of which would be a problem...until Chrismas Eve.

Tuesday night, my awesome roommate offered to work my shift so I could head to the 'rents early for once on Christmas Eve as this is traditionally our Christmas. I arrived around 5:00pm to find everyone already partying and playing cribbage. I watched my parents get skunked and then the real fun started. The name of the game is "ASSHOLE" and yes, my parents played and yes my parents have played before, no joke. I played at first sipping 2 glasses of red wine before switching to 7-up as my stomach was in no shape to be drinking. I became the president almost immediately after switching to soda and remained the president until we changed games again. Go figure, hmmm.? The walrus arrived and we then finished the night with Cranium and we eventually busted out the karaokee machine. I hugged my dog, who was terrified of the loud noise and told him it would be okay and they would eventually stop. Eventually came around 2:00am. I was in bed by 1:30am. I couldn't make it. The walrus rose early with a HUGE hangover, courtesy of a bottle of Grey Goose and headed home to celebrate his second Christmas with his children. I managed to walk him to the door before going back to bed till about 9:30am when I again got up, but this time to say goodbye to my little brother. He was leaving to go to the in-laws and I would not be seeing him again. I gave him a big hug and told him to have fun. He laughed and so did I because he knew I was talking about being in Afghany and not going to the in-laws, although you never can tell, he could have been thinking of the in-laws :) After he left, I again went back to bed until about 10:30am when I finally had caught up on my sleep from the late night. I managed to hang with my mom piece for piece in a trivia pursuit game that ended at 6:00pm after a good 3 hours of torture with a tie between her and me. I plan to be victorious in the re-match.

Today he left mid-afternoon. I didn't get to talk to him again, but I thought of him on and off all day and my prayers are with him. I tear up thinking about the year without him that lays ahead. I know he is a man, but in my heart he will always be "my little brother."